Ser. No. 08/979,201 now abandoned.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to safety devices such as trigger locks and breech locks for firearms to prevent the trigger mechanism or other working components of a firearm from being inadvertently actuated or actuated by an individual not appreciating the consequences of discharging a firearm.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art to which the invention relates, therefore, includes trigger locks, cable locks, breech locks and other devices designed to effectively disable the working mechanisms of a firearm to prevent its discharge. Such devices are commonly used in conjunction with firearms such as pistols, revolvers, and rifles to safely disable the firearm and prevent children or other individuals unable to appreciate the consequences of discharging a firearm from doing so.
In the case of trigger locks, the lock generally overlies the trigger guard as well as the trigger of the firearm. When the trigger lock mechanism is operably attached to a firearm, it obstructs a user""s access to the trigger mechanism and cannot be removed from the firearm without a key to disengage it therefrom. Thus, when the trigger lock is engaged and attached to a firearm, a user is prevented from squeezing the trigger.
Cable locks and breech locks are designed to prevent the operation of the firearm by preventing the firearm from being placed in the xe2x80x9ccockedxe2x80x9d and ready to fire position. For example, a cable lock is designed to engage the action of a pistol or cylinder of a revolver and prevent it from chambering a cartridge to be fired. Similarly, a breech lock prevents a cartridge from being chambered by blocking the open end of the barrel, often referred to as the chamber or bore, and thus preventing a cartridge from being placed in the ready to fire position.
One common drawback associated with all of the aforementioned locks is the inability of such locks to hold a firearm securely within a holster. In addition,the inconvenience of having a separate safety and storage device. Another common problem associated with such locks is an apparent inability to disengage the firearm lock rapidly. For example in an emergency situation where a firearm is needed to repel an intruder, or in the law enforcement environment where a peace officer is apprehending a criminal, a trigger lock mechanism of the aforementioned type would prevent quick access to the weapon to repel the attack or stop the crime. Thus, trigger lock mechanism of this type are believed to be impractical for situations in which quick access to the firearm is required.
Another well known problem associated with trigger locks and other conventional firearm locking devices is the inability to store a firearm in a substantially ready position secured within a holster in which it is carried in order to prevent children and others from operating the firearm. For example, a law enforcement officer must have immediate access to his firearm in an emergency situation , yet when the officer is relaxing at home he/she may be prevented from simply removing his/her holster without first removing the firearm from the holster then unloading it and then placing it in a separate safety locking device that would prevent others in the home from gaining access to it. This is inconvenient and time consuming. Also when traveling it is not practical to carry a separate locking device for storage of the firearm.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a holster and locking mechanism capable of engaging the trigger and trigger guard of a firearm to securely constrain the firearm within the holster, and yet have it accessible in an emergency situation merely by disengaging the lock component of the holster freeing the firearm for use.
Similarly, it would be advantageous to invent a firearm securing mechanism capable of operating as a holster to secure the firearm within the holster during strenuous physical activity such as running, climbing barriers and fences, and other activities commonly associated with the duties of law enforcement officers.
The present invention is directed to a security locking device for a firearm. The locking device is primarily designed to be incorporated into a holster, which may be of any suitable configuration such as those available from a variety of sources.
A preferred embodiment of the device comprises a housing having a slot form therein and configured to receive the trigger and trigger guard portion of the firearm. The side opposite the ball is tapered to allow easier insertion of the trigger guard and to allow the trigger guard to contact the center of the ball at a greater angle. Also a locking mechanism for prevention of operation of and removal of the firearm from the holster. There are also two wings or ears protruding from either side of the slot to further contain the trigger guard and trigger area and to facilitate attachment of the leather or plastic holster to the device.
The locking mechanism is contained within a compartment in the housing and further comprises a locking assembly operably attached to a locking bar.
On one side of the slot, that receives the trigger guard, there is a channel at an angle to the housing. This channel contains the ball with pins. There is another channel parallel to and on either side of the ball channel that the pins ride in. Another channel parallel to and further out from the center of the ball channel contains the springs.
The channel that the ball is contained in is at an oblique angle to the slot and housing to allow sufficient room for movement of the ball within the housing and to allow the side walls of the housing to be kept as narrow as possible so it can be incorporated into the slim lines of a holster.
The ball contains pins, protruding from its poles, that ride in the channel parallel to the channel it is contained in. The channel that contains the ball is slightly larger than the diameter of the ball so it does not touch the walls of the channel. The pins ride in their channel and carry the ball. The springs apply pressure to the pins and this in turn applies pressure to the ball biasing it to the open end of its channel. Therefore the ball is held at the open end of its channel by the springs this causes the ball to protrude into the slot that receives the trigger guard. When the lock is not engaged this helps hold the firearm in place but also allows its easy removal.
The locking mechanism also consists of a locking bar and pin. The locking bar moves up and down in its channel behind and aligned with the closed end of the ball channel. When the bar is in the locked position it protrudes into the channel that contains the ball preventing the ball from moving and forcing it to the open end of its channel.
The locking mechanism further comprises a cam plate and cam that attach to the key lock that when rotated moves the bar up or down in its channel. The bar is connected to the cam by a pin that rides in the cam.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a locking device for a firearm comprising a housing having a slot formed therein and configured to receive the trigger guard of a firearm in a manner consistent with the normal way in which a firearm is placed into or removed from a holster.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a locking device for a firearm comprising a housing having a slot formed therein and a locking mechanism for retaining the trigger guard portion of the firearm within the slot to prevent the operation thereof.
These and other objects, features and advantages shall become apparent after consideration of the description and drawings set forth herein. All such objects, features and advantages are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention even though not specifically set forth herein.